Speak Out: What can be done to combat Black unemployment?

Category: Opinion Published on Wednesday, 20 January 2010 11:05 Written by Courier Newsroom Hits: 2114

One of the top problems in the Black community is unemployment, males in particular. So we asked Pittsburghers how to combat it. Here’s what you said:

“If everyone would create jobs within the Black community to help each other, that would combat unemployment. It would build up a better economy when we support each other. When we buy from each other we create jobs. This way we can get the community back the way it should be.”

Bagumba Lowery, Turhan Shabazz, Alice Conyers

Bagumba Lowery
Homewood
Community activist

“What would be best for people not working would be to condition themselves with some training. They need to learn how to do what is necessary. A lot of people don’t want to go to school and wonder why they can’t get a job.”
Turhan Shabazz
Penn Hills
Poet

The easiest thing that can be done that wouldn’t require a lot of skill is to look around the neighborhood to see what can be done. There are a lot of vacant buildings that need to be cleared and the city could pay for the work to be done, providing jobs to people in the community.”
Alice Conyers
West End
Administrative assistant

“More recreational facilities can be built within the community, creating jobs for people to work there. Unemployment could also be combated by a community-based program that provided services in the community to do the things that need to be done.”
Justin Butler
East Liberty
Student

“People need to find places to work, places that are offering jobs. There are stadiums and casinos being built but a lot of people still aren’t working and some don’t have a place to live.”
Tyra Griffin
East Liberty
Cook/cashier

“Unemployment within the Black community can be combated by more job fairs and support for people to get to where they need to be to work. It should be easier for people to get jobs based upon the skills they already have so they can be trained for what more they need to know.”
Shikaila Ruffin
East Liberty
Student/manager

(Compiled by Erin Perry, photos by Erin Perry.)